Coimbatore

Drug addiction among youth waxing, say counsellors

Coimbatore: More than two of 10 persons in Coimbatore are being treated for drug addiction. The growing drug menace results in character defects, according to deaddiction centres.

Addiction can lead to brain changes. People in recovery from drugs due to life struggle will increase risk for returning to drug use even after years of not taking them, they warn.

Covai Care Center (CCC) chairman SR Manuel, who is also a member of Alcohol Anonymous Coimbatore, told The Covai Post that thinking process was the first stage of influence to take drugs. “A twelve-step programme is a set of guiding principles outlining a course of action for recovery from addiction, compulsion, or other behavioural problems. Originally proposed by Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), it as a method of recovery from alcoholism,” he said.

Guna Sekar (name changed), is 27 and employed in a private company. He said “I didn’t have a bad childhood and was raised well. There’s no particular reason I should have gone into the direction of drugs. I fell in with the wrong crowd and it was just that easy to start using drugs.”

People often use drugs as an outlet for their problems, though this creates its own problems over time. Drug addiction not only affects a person’s health and relationships, but also impacts society and the environment. There are numerous treatment options to guide people toward a sober and healthy life, say counsellors.

Aravind (name changed), student in a city college, said he was started to drink from Class IX. ”I was influenced by movies and friends. I started drinking to fit in with everybody. And it looked like everybody was having a good time. And they told me ‘nobody’s died from drinking alcohol. I was 17 or 18 years then and we’d sit around and drink beer in my buddy’s home,” said Aravind (22).

Students like him believe that anyone can have alcohol or other drugs and this leaves them ‘happy’.

“Drug addiction is a result of use of easily accessible stuff like cigarettes and alcohol, as well as illegal drugs like cocaine and ganja. The addicted fall in two categories.The first are those who take drugs only for their self happiness and the others are victims who don’t bother about their job and family. They cannot stop even if they try because their body will not respond.

“Parents should monitor their children and their friend circled. Privacy is important, but parents should keep tab of their children till the age of 21,” said Dr A.Venkatesh of Psychiatrist Hospital.